Russia recalls top envoy to NATO
Print Edition
RUSSIA has recalled its top military representative to NATO for consultations, Russian news agencies reported yesterday, widening the rift between Moscow and the Western alliance over Moscow’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region.
Russia’s action last month has caused the deepest crisis in East-West relations since the Cold War, leading the West to impose sanctions and stirring fears that President Vladimir Putin has territorial designs beyond Crimea, a Black Sea peninsula with its Russian-majority population.
The recall to Moscow of General Valery Yevnevich follows a decision by NATO this week to suspend cooperation with Russia in response to its annexation of Crimea.
“We don’t see an opportunity to continue military cooperation as usual with NATO,” RIA news agency quoted Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov as saying. “We have decided to recall the chief Russian military representative at NATO ... to Moscow for consultations.”
NATO simply said it took note of the Russian decision.
Earlier, Russia said it wanted answers from NATO on its activities in eastern Europe, after NATO promised to beef up eastern members’ defenses.
NATO has ordered military planners to draft measures to reassure nervous eastern European countries — which were under Moscow’s domination until the 1989 end of the Cold War.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said any increase in NATO’s permanent presence in eastern Europe would violate a 1997 treaty on NATO-Russian cooperation.
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